Revive gas projects for 10 south-western dists

Three bodies of greater Khulna demand, announce agitation programme

29 March 2009, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Khulna

Greater Khulna Development Action Coordination Committee (GKDAC), Khulna Citizens' Forum (KCF) and Khulna Press Club have decided to launch a joint agitation demanding full implementation of the Bheramara-Khulna Gas Circulation Line and Gas Distribution Line projects in 10 districts of south-western (SW) region. A memorandum was faxed to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard yesterday seeking urgent intervention to revive the projects. The decision was announced by KCF Chairperson Sheikh Abdul Kayyum at a press conference yesterday at Khulna Press Club. Leaders of GKDAC, different social organisations and Treasurer of Khulna Press Club Kanak Rahman addressed the press conference. The KCF Chairperson said a human chain will be formed on Thursday in Khulna city to press home the demand. Other programmes include view exchange meetings with leaders of political, professional, social and cultural organisations, memorandum to prime minister through the divisional commissioner, letters to all lawmakers of Khulna division requesting them to raise this issue in the parliament and human chains by different social bodies. Kayyum told the press conference that the energy ministry in a meeting held on March 23 decided to shift the fund of the projects for construction of two gas compression stations at Sylhet and Ashuganj. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Gas Sector Development Bank Project (GSDP) provided 125 million dollars for implementation of the two projects and Petrobangla took up the projects in 2007. "We shall go for tougher agitation if the crisis arose out of fund shifting is not immediately resolved to revive the projects," the KCF chief warned.